MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION TO REDUCE AMOUNT OF TIME NON-EMERGENCY VEHICLES CAN IDLE ADJACENT TO SCHOOLS AND EXPANDING THE CITY’S ABILITY TO ENFORCE IDLING VIOLATIONS

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

The next two bills before me concern the enforcement of the City's idling laws. Introductory Number 631-A, sponsored by Council Members Liu, Arroyo, Jackson, Brewer, Dickens, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Martinez, Palma, Reyna, Sanders, Foster, Mark-Viverito, Mendez, de Blasio, White, Vann, Garodnick, Gennaro, Rivera, Sears and Stewart reduces the amount of time that a non-emergency vehicle can idle adjacent to a school.

"Introductory Number 631-A reduces the amount of time that a non-emergency vehicle can idle adjacent to a school from three minutes to one minute. In addition, the Environmental Control Board and Department of Finance will be required to issue annual reports on the number of idling violations issued and the total value of penalties assessed. Finally, applicants for taxi and for-hire-vehicle licenses will now be required to demonstrate their knowledge of idling laws.

"Introductory Number 40-A provides the Departments of Parks and Recreation and Sanitation with the authority to issue idling violations. Current practice has been for the Department of Environmental Protection to administratively assign this responsibility to these agencies.

"Our Administration's PlaNYC commits to improving compliance with existing anti-idling laws through a targeted public awareness campaign, which will be launched this year, and also by increasing enforcement of these laws.

"I would like to thank Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Steve Lawitts, Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly, Finance Commissioner Martha Stark, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and their staff for their work on these bills. I would also like to thank Law Department Senior Counsel Andrea Fastenberg for her work and the Council for approving this legislation."